Installation and method of transport by ground cable

ABSTRACT

Installation of transport by ground cable including two carriers each equipped with a grip configured to attach the carrier in removable manner to the ground cable, two end stations respectively situated at the ends of the ground cable, an intermediate station situated between the two end stations, a sidestep situated between a first end station and the intermediate station and configured to enable the carriers to cross paths, and a motor configured to reverse a direction of rotation of the ground cable when a carrier reaches the second end station.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to transport by ground cable.

STATE OF THE ART

Ground cable installations, such as funicular railways, are currently used for transporting people in urban environments, or for journeys over short distances.

French Patent application FR2943025 can be cited which discloses an installation of transport, comprising two hauling cables to which a carrier is successively coupled in reversible manner, by two mechanisms, to haul it to-and-fro along a single running track connecting two end stations. Running of the hauling cables is performed by two drive units. But this installation is complex as it is necessary to maintain operation of two drive units and to perform maintenance of two hauling cables.

Furthermore, French Patent application FR2942194 discloses an installation of transport, comprising a hauling cable to which a carrier is successively coupled in reversible manner, by two coupling mechanisms, to haul it in to-and-fro manner along a single running track connecting two end stations. The installation further comprises intermediate stations arranged along the running track between the end stations for loading and unloading people. But this installation is also complex as the carrier has to be uncoupled in each intermediate station and end station, which results in fatigue of the coupling mechanisms and an increase of the frequency of maintenance operations.

French Patent application FR2133102 can also be cited which discloses an installation of transport, comprising a ground cable to haul several carriers along two guide tracks arranged symmetrically with respect to a vertical plane, and several carriers equipped with guide means situated on a single lateral side of the carriers so as to cooperate only with one of the guide tracks. The carriers are further provided with detachable grips to attach the carriers to the cable in removable manner so as to slow the carriers down in the stations to facilitate loading and unloading of people, and so as to be able to return the carriers to attach them to the return strand of the cable. But this installation is complex as it requires the use of deceleration, acceleration and bypass circuits in each of the stations to move the carriers which are detached from the cable.

European Patent application EP0347324 can be cited which discloses an installation of transport, comprising a ground cable to haul in to-and-fro manner two carriers along a track provided with an asymmetric sidestep to enable the carriers to pass one another in the opposite direction and halfway from the end stations of the installation. The carriers can be equipped with detachable grips to attach the carriers to the cable in removable manner to modify the position of a carrier when the length of the cable is modified or when the position of a station is modified. But this installation is not suitable when an intermediate station is to be placed on the track, without having to compulsorily place it halfway from the end stations.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention consists in palliating these shortcomings, and more particularly in providing an installation and a method of transport by ground cable that is simple and that enables people to be loaded and unloaded in three stations situated at distinct positions from one another.

According to one feature of the invention, a method of transport by ground cable of two carriers is proposed, each carrier being provided with an attachment means configured to attach the carrier in removable manner to the ground cable, comprising a hauling step by the ground cable of the two carriers in the direction of two end stations respectively situated at the ends of the ground cable.

The method comprises a crossing step of the carriers between a first end station and an intermediate station situated between the two end stations, a reversal step of the direction of rotation of the ground cable when a carrier reaches the second end station, and a stopping step of a carrier in the intermediate station.

A simplified method is thus provided for transporting people in three distinct stations by means of only two carriers. Advantageously, such a method enables the intermediate station to be placed at any distance from the end stations, thereby providing freedom as regards implementation of the method of transport. Such a method further enables maintenance operations to be limited, in particular due to the use of a single ground cable.

The method can comprise a detachment step of each carrier when the carriers reach the first end station.

In this case, means can be positioned to only detach the carriers in one of the end stations, which simplifies the method of transport. The number of detachments of a carrier from the ground cable is thus limited, which enables the maintenance operations on the attachment means of the carriers to be reduced.

During a stopping step of a carrier, the carrier can be secured to the ground cable.

It is therefore not necessary to detach the carriers from the ground cable when they are situated in the intermediate station, which limits maintenance operations on the attachment means even further.

According to another feature of the invention, an installation of transport by ground cable is proposed comprising two carriers, each provided with an attachment means configured to attach the carrier in removable manner to the ground cable, and two end stations respectively situated at the ends of the ground cable.

The installation comprises an intermediate station situated between the two end stations, a sidestep situated between a first end station and the intermediate station and configured to enable the carriers to cross paths, and reversible drive means of the ground cable configured to reverse a direction of rotation of the ground cable when a carrier reaches the second end station.

The installation can comprise a single detachment device of the carriers from the ground cable situated inside the first end station.

A carrier can be situated in the intermediate station and attached to the ground cable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments and implementation modes of the invention given for non-restrictive example purposes only and represented in the appended drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 to 6 schematically illustrate the main steps of an implementation mode of the invention; and

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a transport installation according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIGS. 1 to 6, an embodiment of a transport installation 1 by ground cable 2 has been represented. What is meant by ground cable 2 is a hauling cable situated at ground level, unlike an overhead cable used for aerial cable carriers, such as gondola lifts or chair lifts. A transport installation 1 by ground cable 2 is also called a funicular railway. The installation comprises two carriers S, T, two end stations 3, 4 and reversible drive means 5 of the ground cable 2, hereafter referred to as cable 2. In other words, the end stations 3, 4 are respectively situated at the ends of the cable 2. Each carrier S, T comprises an attachment means 6 configured to attach the carrier S, T in removable manner to the cable 2. The attachment means 6 can be a grip, called detachable grip, having a closed position in which the grip tights the cable 2 so as to be able to haul the carrier S, T, and an open position in which the carrier S, T can be detached from the cable 2. The end stations 3, 4 each comprise a wheel 8, 7. A first end station 4 comprises a drive wheel 7 coupled to a motor and configured to drive the cable 2. The second end station 3 for its part comprises a return wheel 8 enabling the cable 2 to be tensioned. The cable 2 is thus stretched taut between the drive wheel 7 and the return wheel 8, and delineates a running track 17, 18 between the end stations 3, 4. The ground cable 2 is continuous and describes a closed loop. When the drive wheel 7 is made to rotate in a first counterclockwise direction of rotation X, it drives the cable 2 in the first counterclockwise direction X (illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3). In other words, a first strand 2 a of the cable 2 is driven in translation in the direction of the second end station 3 and, inversely, a second strand 2 b of the cable 2 is driven in translation in the direction of the first end station 4. The drive means 5, such as a motor, are further configured to reverse the direction of rotation of the cable 2 to drive it in a second clockwise direction of rotation Y (illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6), making the drive wheel 7 rotate in a second direction of rotation Y opposite to the first direction of rotation X.

The installation 1 further comprises an intermediate station 10 situated between the two end stations 3, 4. The intermediate station 10 enables unloading and loading of people in the carriers S, T. In general manner, the intermediate station 10 comprises platforms to receive the people leaving the carriers S, T, and to allow people to wait for a carrier S, T which they want to board. The intermediate station 10 is situated at a first distance from the first end station 4 and at a second distance from the second end station 3. For example, the first distance can be greater than the second distance. The intermediate station 10 can be situated halfway 15 from the end stations 3, 4. The intermediate station 10 is preferably situated at one third of the length of the running track 17, 18. The running track 17, 18 of the two carriers S, T comprises a first section 17 connecting the first end station 4 to the intermediate station 10 and a second section 18 connecting the second end station 3 to the intermediate station 10.

The installation 1 preferably comprises a sidestep 11 configured to enable the carriers S, T to cross paths. The sidestep 11 can be situated in the intermediate station 10 or be situated between the intermediate station 10 and one of the end stations 3, 4. For example, the sidestep 11 can be situated at the level 14 of the first section 17 of the running track. Preferably, the sidestep 11 is situated halfway 14 from the intermediate station 10 and from the first end station 4. According to one embodiment, the sidestep 11 comprises two branches 12, 13 offset from one another laterally along which the two strands 2 b, 2 a of the cable 2 respectively run. Thus, when the carriers S, T are hauled by the cable 2, they run in the opposite direction on the first section 17, and when the drive wheel 7 is made to move in rotation in the first direction of rotation X, a first carrier S runs along the first branch 12 and the second carrier T runs along the second branch 13 and can cross paths with the first carrier S.

The installation 1 can further comprise a detachment device 16 of the carriers S, T from the cable 2. Such a detachment device 16 can be controlled by control means 16 a configured to command detachment of a carrier S, T.

An embodiment of the installation 1 has further been represented in FIG. 7 in which a carrier T comprises a car 30 mounted on a chassis 31, and running means 32, 33 configured to enable translational movement of the carrier T along the running track 17, 18. The running track to 17, 18 comprises a support structure 36, 37 to support the carrier T. The support structure 36, 37 preferably comprises two rails 36, 37 extending along the running track 17, 18, and the running means 32, 33 can comprise wheels mounted rotating on shafts 34, 35 coupled to the chassis 31 so that the carrier T can run on the rails 36, 37. The sidestep 11 further comprises two additional rails, not represented for the sake of simplification, extending respectively along the branches 12, 13 to enable the carriers S, T to run along the branches 12, 13 of the sidestep 11. The carriers S, T can be identical to simplify the installation of transport 1, i.e. the attachment means 6 can be situated in the same position on the two carriers S, T.

The installation of transport 1 provides the possibility of transporting people in three different stations 3, 4, 10. The installation 1 is furthermore as simple as possible and comprises a single cable 2, two carriers S, T and three stations 3, 4, 10. Such an installation 1 enables maintenance operations to be limited.

In FIGS. 1 to 6, the main steps of a method of transport by cable 2 of two carriers S, T have also been represented. The method can be implemented by the installation of transport 1 described in the foregoing. FIG. 1 illustrates an initial step of the method. In this initial step, a first carrier S is situated in the intermediate station 10 and the second carrier T is situated in the first end station 4. The two carriers S, T are attached to the cable 2, and in this case the attachment means 6 are represented by black circles. Then the method comprises a hauling step during which the cable 2 hauls the two carriers S, T in the direction 20, 21 of the two respective end stations 4, 3. The two carriers S, T are hauled in respectively two opposite directions 20, 21. The first carrier S is hauled towards the first station 4 and the second carrier T towards the intermediate station 10. In this case the drive wheel 7 rotates in the first counterclockwise direction X. The two carriers S, T cross paths at the level 14 of the first section 17, and they respectively reach the first end station 4 and the intermediate station 10, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The method further comprises a stopping step in which the second carrier T is stopped in the intermediate station 10. The stopping step enables people to alight and embark. Preferably, during the stopping step, running of the cable 2 is stopped when a carrier S, T reaches a new station 3, 4, 10. The second carrier T can then remain attached to the cable 2, and it is not necessary to detach the carrier T from the cable 2. The opening and closing actions to be performed on the attachment means 6 are thus reduced to limit their wear.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the first carrier S is detached from the cable 2 so as to enable the second carrier T to be hauled towards the second end station 3. The attachment means 6 of a carrier S, T have been represented by a white circle when the carrier S, T is detached from the cable 2. The second carrier T is therefore hauled in the direction 22 and reaches the second station 3 where it remains attached to the cable 2.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a reversal step is performed during which the direction of rotation of the cable 2 is reversed. In other words, the direction of rotation of the cable is reversed when a carrier S, T reaches the second end station 3. In this case, the drive wheel 7 rotates in the second clockwise direction of rotation Y and the second carrier T is hauled in translation in the direction of the intermediate station 10, which it reaches. When the second carrier T reaches the intermediate station 10, the carrier T is stopped and remains attached to the cable 2. Then the first carrier S is again attached to the cable 2, and driving of the cable 2 is resumed in the second direction of rotation Y. The first carrier S is then hauled in the direction 25 of the intermediate station 10 and the second carrier T is hauled in the direction 24 of the first end station 4.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the carriers S, T respectively reach the intermediate station 10 and the first end station 4. Furthermore, the second carrier S is stopped in the intermediate station 10.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the second carrier T is detached from the cable 2, detachment being performed in the first station 4, in particular by means of the detachment device 16. Preferably, the detachment device 16 is located only in the first end station 4. In other words, the detachment step is performed for both of the carriers S, T, when the carriers S, T reach the first end station 4. Such a method of transport enables a carrier S, T to be detached once only during a to-and-fro path of the carrier S, T. What is meant by a to-and-fro path of the carrier S or T is the path that the carrier S or T covers when leaving a first initial station 4 or 10, passing through the other two stations of the installation 1, and returning to the first initial station 4 or 10. Driving of the cable 2 is then resumed in the second direction of rotation Y to haul the first carrier S, in the direction 26, to the second end station 3, which it reaches.

Furthermore, as soon as the first carrier S reaches the second end station 3, the direction of rotation of the drive wheel 7, and therefore of the cable 2, is reversed. This reversal enables the first carrier S to be driven back to the intermediate station 10, and the installation 1 is back in its initial configuration illustrated in FIG. 1.

The invention which has been described in the foregoing is particularly suitable to reduce maintenance operations of an installation of transport by ground cable. The invention enables transport of people to three distinct stations to be performed using means that are simple to achieve and to implement. 

1. A method of transport by ground cable of two carriers each equipped with an attachment means configured to attach the carrier in removable manner to the ground cable, comprising: hauling by the ground cable the two carriers in the direction of two end stations respectively situated at the ends of the ground cable, the two end stations each comprising a wheel between which the ground cable is stretched taut and forms a closed loop, crossing of the carriers between a first end station and an intermediate station situated between the two end stations, reversing a direction of rotation of the ground cable when a carrier reaches the second end station, and stopping a carrier in the intermediate station.
 2. The method according to claim 1, comprising detaching each carrier when the carriers reach the first end station.
 3. Method according to claim 1 wherein, during stopping a carrier, the carrier is attached to the ground cable.
 4. Installation of transport by ground cable, comprising: two carriers each provided with a grip configured to attach the carrier in removable manner to the ground cable, two end stations respectively situated at the ends of the ground cable, the two end stations each comprising a wheel between which the ground cable is stretched taut and forms a closed loop, an intermediate station situated between the two end stations, a sidestep situated between a first end station and the intermediate station and configured to enable the carriers to cross paths, and a motor configured to reverse a direction of rotation of the ground cable when a carrier reaches the second end station.
 5. Installation according to claim 4, comprising a single detachment device of the carriers from the ground cable situated in the first end station.
 6. Installation according to claim 4, wherein a carrier situated in the intermediate station is attached to the ground cable. 